A New Kind of Gift
by Salvatore Shan NW
Summary: Mother's Day fanfic. Kagome and Inuyasha's children want to make Mother's Day special... and end up making it a notsospecial day for their overworked Daddy. Poor Inu...
1. Chapter 1

**A New Kind of Gift  
**A Mother's Day Fic

Okie dokie. This was originally going to be a fic for my mum – because it was for Mother's Day, obviously. But firstly, she despises _Inuyasha_. Secondly, she won't understand a thing. And three, I'm sure she'd much rather have a present – she hates my hobby of writing fanfics..

So, this is just a fic because Mother's Day is coming close. And no, it is not Inuyasha sitting, depressed, thinking about his mother, nor is it Kagome jumping through the well with a big exotic present for Mama – which turns out to be a man-eating plant and Inuyasha '_Sankontesso_'s it the hell outta there. Heh, it's a funny thought though.

No, this is when Kagome and Inuyasha have children – using my three favourite original characters – Inuome, Kagoyasha and Sesshin, who are in _Children of Fate_. Also, the other children to be featured in there will be in this.

RIN'S ACCIDENT IS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED IN _CHILDREN OF FATE. _She accidentally ran into a circle that granted you your heart's desire and she suddenly became around ten years older. Her wish was to grow up and somehow win Sesshoumaru round. And that wish was granted. At least the first part, you'll see what happens later on… So that is what is meant by Rin's 'accident'. She isn't a kid anymore; she's a full grown woman. Older than Kagome and Sango even.

Basically, this fic is based around Inuyasha and Kagome being in the future (in more ways than one) with their hands full of the two kids: Inuome and Kagoyasha. But Mother's Day is coming up and Inuome and Kagoyasha want to make it special. Cue Inuyasha not having a very special day whereas Kagome laps up the attention…

Oh, and you say Kagoyasha's nickname, '**Kage',** like 'Kaggy' – rhymes with baggy.

* * *

"_Shh, you'll wake 'um_,"

Kagome rolled over in her sleep, groaning. Her face ended up pressed against her sleeping husband's back, and she couldn't help but lazily open one eye. She felt pressure on her legs, as if something was crawling on the bed – like a dog or something. _Oh, it's way too early for this…_

She heard childish giggling and felt someone prod her leg. Shutting her eyes again, she tried to tune out the noise and snuggled up against Inuyasha. She didn't know what the time was, and nor did she care. She just wanted to fall back asleep…  
"MORNING, MUMMY!" Inuome screeched, leaping on to her annoyed mother's chest and jumping up and down in her excitement. Her long white hair billowed around her, her amber eyes bright and glowing like the morning sunlight filtering through the bedroom blinds.

The puppy ears on top of her head perked up and she smiled brilliantly, her little hands reaching up to her mother's shoulders to shake her. Kagoyasha, Inuome's twin brother, was grinning behind her – straddled on his dad's legs, sheepishly.  
Kagome rolled to face her daughter, groaning. "Inuome, why are you so cruel…?" she joked, patting the pillow beneath her before pulling herself into a sitting position.

Inuome giggled and poked her mother's arm, her face flushed. "It's Mummy's Day tomorrow," she chorused, biting her bottom lip sweetly. Then she suddenly turned, full of energy again, and leapt away from her mother and jumped onto the sleeping half-demon under the sheets.  
"WAKEY WAKEY, DADDY!"

Inuyasha groaned and tried to bat her away, but Inuome dodged her father's hand and jumped on his stomach. Unlike Kagome, who had been anticipating such an 'attack', Inuyasha shot forward as if retching and his eyes opened wide, wheezing in shock.  
When he saw his two children clambering over him, he scowled and fell back against the bed.

"Oh great… the pups are awake," he frowned. Kagome smiled supportively and held her arms out in the direction of Inuome, who fell into them, giggling. Inuyasha reached over for Kagoyasha and pulled him close to him, shaking his head in exasperation. He ruffled his son's hair, smiling slightly. "You're a rascal, you know that?"

Kagoyasha just grinned and shook out his dark hair, staring up at his dad with sparkling violet eyes. His two pointy elf-like ears stuck out through his hair, completely different to Inuome and Inuyasha's matching ears. Still, the pups looked just like their father.

Kagome brushed Inuome's hair out of her face and poked her daughter's nose, playfully. "So, what does little Inu want for her breakfast?" she asked, smiling. Inuome seemed to ponder for a moment, and then an idea came to her. She bounced on the spot happily. "Ramen!" she cried, punching the air.

Kagome glanced at Inuyasha with narrowed eyes as if it were his fault. _If only they didn't share their father's taste in food… _"Come on then," Kagome groaned, not sure whether it was entirely healthy for kids to have ramen for breakfast. She slid out while still holding her three-year-old clutched to her chest, and then stood up beside the double bed wearing an embroidered pink chemise.

Inuome was wearing a pair of _Hello Kitty_ pyjamas, while her brother wore a pair that sported the image of Ash and Pikachu from _Pokémon_. Inuyasha sighed too and, grasping hold of his son, slid out of the other side of the bed – nearest the door. Without a word, he slung Kagoyasha over his shoulder – making his son scream in fits of giggles.

Inuyasha looked back, feigning surprise. "What? What's wrong?" he asked no one in particular.  
"Daddy! Daddy, put me down!" Kagoyasha cried, pounding on his dad's lower back. Inuyasha looked shocked and then carried on walking out of the brightly decorated bedroom, out into the landing and down the stairs.

"Where's Kage? I can hear him, but I–"  
"I'm here, Daddy! Put me down!" Kagoyasha cried, responding to his usual nickname.  
Only when Inuyasha reached the kitchen did he put Kagoyasha down on the floor, grimacing. His son's face was flushed but he looked happy.

"I want _Cookie Crisp_, Daddy!" he chirruped, jumping up and down on the kitchen tiles in his little navy pyjamas. Kagome entered the kitchen then, placing Inuome down on the floor. The little semi-demon shrieked with laughter and ran over to Kagoyasha, joining in with the bouncing game in front of her father.

"No! No, we want ramen, Daddy!" she cried, her silver hair bobbing up and down. Inuyasha looked from his daughter's face to his son's, and then back again – his face creased up in decision. Then he turned to the cupboards behind him and from one took out a pot of noodles, and from the other a cereal box.

He put them on the kitchen counter and turned to Kagome, flashing a dashing smile. "Boil up some water, would ya, Kagome?" he asked, winking. Kagome physically turned him to face the kettle and flicked the switch, scowling. "I should think you're quite capable yourself. I hope you realise that since tomorrow is Mother's Day I won't lift a finger for any of you,"

Kagoyasha swung on his mother's leg, hugging on to it tightly. Inuome went over to the kitchen counter and bugged her dad, tugging on his pyjama bottoms – the only item of clothing he was wearing. "Daddy's gonna have to cook dinner!" she laughed.  
Kagoyasha screwed up his face, the word 'yuck' animated across his face.

Kagome laughed and lifted up her son. "Well, while your daddy gets your breakfast ready then you can go and watch the TV, 'kay?"  
Inuome and Kagoyasha nodded fervently and then ran off into the front room, screaming. Inuyasha winced from his spot by the kettle, pouring the boiled water into the cup of ramen.

"Do they really have to shout so much?" he cringed, taking some chopsticks out of the drawer and stirring the cup of noodles. Kagome smiled, knowing it wasn't a particularly nice smile, and sat down at the dining table against the wall nearest the door. "I blame your genes," she told him, looking down at her nails.

Inuyasha didn't know whether to feel insulted or whether to laugh. Instead he reached for the box of _Cookie Crisp_. "So, do you think they'll do anything for you tomorrow? They haven't any other year,"

Kagome narrowed her eyes. She didn't know whether or not to tell him that the dads were meant to get the presents for the kids to give the mother. She thought it would spoil it. Besides, Inuyasha was so cute when he was confused about modern traditions.

He still hadn't completely gotten used to living in the future. It was now around five years since he had moved in here with Kagome. After their relationship had gotten serious and they had married, they'd decided to set up home in the future.

For some reason, after the Shikon no tama was completed and Naraku had been defeated then Miroku and Sango and Shippo could travel through the well too. And so could–.  
Kagome looked up at the many drawings pinned by magnets to the fridge.

One of the ones drawn by Inuome displayed three stick people, all appearing to be very happy. One was of Inuome herself, the other Kagoyasha and the third – her cousin, Sesshin.

Yes. Even Sesshoumaru could travel through the well. But after Rin's accident, he wasn't so… bad anymore. And he and Rin had somehow ended up in this time. After two years of trying and failing to ignore Inuyasha, when the children started getting closer and Rin and Kagome kept meeting, the two brother's gave up and tried to get on each other's good side.

Three years later, they were still not exactly playing happy families, but at least the two could hold a conversation without arguing or breaking out into a fight. They were almost friends. _Almost_.

"Kagome?"  
Kagome was woken from her daydreams. She looked up at Inuyasha, who was setting down the ramen (now in a child's bowl) and the cereal for the twins. He was staring at her in curiosity. He waved his hand in front of her face, his eyes sparkling. "You spaced out for a minute there,"

Kagome nodded, turning away from his eyes. She stood up. "I'll bring the kids in. I _should_ wake up Shippo as well, but you know how he is in the mornings."  
Inuyasha grunted and Kagome noticed he had split the cup of ramen with Inuome, placing down his own bowl full of noodles.

Kagome shook her head, laughing, and walked out of the kitchen/dining-room and into the living room. Inuome and Kagoyasha were sat cross-legged on the floor, rocking back and forth. They appeared to be engrossed in the show on TV. Kagome tapped them both on the shoulder and pointed to the kitchen.

"Breakfast's ready," she smiled. The two kids turned, grinned, and jumped up, running in the direction of the kitchen. Kagome wondered where they got their energy from – whether it was in their blood or whether regular kids were just as active anyway. Whatever it was, they certainly were a handful.

* * *

Inuyasha looked alternately at the children who sat scoffing the contents of their bowls, before sighing and looking down at his own bowl. "Are you getting Mummy anything for tomorrow?" he asked.

Inuome looked up, noodles drooping out of her mouth. Kagoyasha still had his spoon lodged between his teeth. Both looked confused.  
Inuyasha sighed, scratched his forehead and carried on. "Look, you know I don't know much about Mummy's traditions, but I think it'll make her happy if you get her something."

Inuome slurped up her noodles and pushed her empty bowl away, turning in her seat.  
"Like what, Daddy?" she asked, her eyes wide.

Kagoyasha drove his spoon into his cereal, gaping and blinking in an innocent way.  
Inuyasha leant back in his chair and shrugged. "I don't know… something Mummy likes. What does Mummy like?"

Inuome smiled. "Mummy likes you, Daddy." She pointed out.  
Inuyasha couldn't help but smile back at her. "Apart from me."  
Kagoyasha grimaced. "She likes it when you don't argue with Uncle Sesshy,"  
Inuome nodded fervently in agreement.

Inuyasha shut his eyes. "I mean, what kind of a _present_ would Mummy like?"  
Inuome chewed her tongue a moment and Kagoyasha sunk in his chair. Then their dad sighed. "I don't know… _my_ mother used to like flowers."

Inuome blew a raspberry. "Flowers are smelly,"  
Inuyasha shook his head, tired. "That's the _point_, Inuome,"  
Kagoyasha nodded. "Hai,"  
His sister stuck her tongue out at him.

Inuome slid out of her chair, picking up her bowl before waddling over to the sink, balancing her bowl on the counter. "We'll think of something!" she said, before running out of the room. Inuyasha watched her leave.

Maybe he should give the kids some money to buy Kagome something… but Kagome was his _wife_, not his mother – it would be cheating if he paid for it, wouldn't it? But then, how else were the kids going to buy her something?

He scowled. _Stupid human traditions… _  
Kagoyasha looked over at his dad, frowning in thought. He pushed his empty bowl to the side and dropped out of his chair. He remembered, distantly, a vague memory of his mum and dad arguing once. Not a serious argument, but it had been enough for Mummy to say something that made Daddy hit the floor really hard…

If only he could remember what that word was. His mummy had laughed and his daddy had frowned, and he hadn't been seriously hurt. That was back around when he could barely stand. He wondered if Inuome would remember.  
"I'm finished, Daddy!" Kagoyasha sang before dashing out of the kitchen and heading for the living room.

Inuyasha looked down at Kagoyasha's bowl, frowned and took it over to the kitchen sink. _We'll think of something! _Inuome had said, but the kids were only three – what could they get their mother?

"Front door was open!" a disembodied voice called from somewhere within the house. Inuyasha shut his eyes and rubbed his temples. Finally, somebody he could talk to.  
"Miroku, I'm in the kitchen!" he called, leaning back against the counter.

He could hear screaming as more children entered the house, and Inuome telling the others to come and play in her room. Kagoyasha was talking hurriedly to someone – Inuyasha couldn't hear who.  
Sango was making her way into the living room, Inuyasha could tell by how close her footsteps were and upon seeing Kagome, she let out a squeal of delight.

That moment, a dark head peered around the kitchen door. Miroku hadn't changed, except now he was less of a pervert around other women. He kept his bad habits strictly to Sango and when the children weren't around. And speaking of children, he had three, while Sango was said to be pregnant with twins – _again!_

Misokuu (Sokuu for short because whenever you called for him Miroku would come running – their names were too similar) was the oldest at five. And then there was Mercy and Danni, these two being twins that looked exactly like their mother. They were the same age as Inuome, Kagoyasha and Sesshin.

The twin girls in question were running up the stairs with Inuome leading them, Sokuu following behind with Kagoyasha no doubt.  
Inuyasha sighed.  
Miroku simply waved. "Hey, how's the part time job going?" he asked, stepping into the room.  
Inuyasha thought back to his job at the Sunset Shrine. He worked for Kagome's mother – as it was the only safe place for him to work. He did jobs around the shrine, cleaning and such.

He groaned and waved a hand, absently. "It's fine. How is Sango coping? Kagome told me you called. Said that she went to the hospital or something…"  
Miroku's already wide grin split from ear to ear. "Oh, _that_. No, we just went for a check-up. We're having boys apparently,"

Inuyasha smiled, but said nothing.  
Miroku sat opposite him at the table, looking around the room. The kitchen was mainly sky-coloured; except the tiles surrounding the cooker and dishwasher were a midnight shade.

The fridge couldn't be seen for drawings and photos – mostly of the children.  
Miroku leant back in his chair and locked his fingers together, thinking. He was wearing a dark shirt and jeans, his dark hair framing his face. He was now twenty-eight, his hair out of its original ponytail, and was also the appropriate father figure. Sango didn't nearly slap him as much. _Pity_.

"I heard that Sesshin was at the hospital when we were. I saw Rin there but we didn't get to speak. Care to shed any light on the situation?" Miroku started up again.  
Inuyasha sighed. "She fell down the stairs and fractured her wrist. Ha, I've never seen Sesshoumaru so agitated before."

Miroku smiled. "Yes, he does dote on her, doesn't he?"  
Inuyasha stood up. "Surprisingly. Do you want some tea?"  
Miroku grinned. "I wouldn't mind. So, I bet Inuome was worried. She and Sesshin are joined at the hip,"

Inuyasha nodded, retrieving some teabags from the cupboard. "She wouldn't sleep a wink the other night. She kept demanding me to take her to the hospital, but I told her Sesshin was fine. She even came round the next day. She has her arm in a cast,"

"Bless her," Miroku said softly. At that instant, Sokuu sprinted into the room. "Papa, the girls won't let me play with them!" he cried, upset. Kagoyasha came in after him, nodding fervently. "Yeah, Daddy!" he called in Inuyasha's direction. "Inuome won't let me in. She says its girly-time!"

Inuyasha, who was pulling two cups out of the cupboard, frowned. He shook his head, exasperated. _If this is how it's going to be tomorrow, and if it's going to be _without_ Kagome, I really need to disappear. _  
He scowled, listening to Miroku explain to their sons that sometimes girls needed privacy and preferred to play alone.

Inuyasha turned back with two cups of tea, still frowning. _I hope Kagome doesn't completely take tomorrow as her 'vacation', I don't think I'll be able to manage…_ he thought, putting down the cups on the table. _And… _he recalled. _It might be just like last year…_

He remembered being confined to the living room while Kagome, Rin and Sango took up the master bedroom and watched what Kagome called 'chick flicks' – eating whole tubs of ice-cream and bars of chocolate. And he also remembered Sesshoumaru trying to grab the remote from him dozens of times.

"_It's _my_ house; we watch what _I_ want to watch!" _he'd said, while Sesshin and Inuome played with a dolls house on the floor. Then Inuome had casually reached up, tugged the remote control out of her dad's hand and turned it over to the kids' channel. Inuyasha remembered slowly slipping into madness as he watched the eccentric presenter's sing songs that Sokuu, Inuome, Kagoyasha, Sesshin, Danni and Mercy all joined in with.

Torture. Plain torture.

Inuyasha shivered.  
_I hate Mother's Day…_

TBC…


	2. Chapter 2

**A New Kind of Gift  
**A Mother's Day Fic

Hey guys! Well, I decided to upload quickly – even though I really should update _Flat Line_ because I left it at such a mean cliffy. Hope you like this chappie! There may only be one or two more chapters after this.  
Aw, Sessh and Inu are shopping together with the kids!

* * *

"The joys of idle shopping," Sesshoumaru noted, walking down the aisle and occasionally picking things from the shelves before deciding whether or not to buy the many products in his hands. Inuyasha grunted at his side, pushing the trolley beside his brother without really paying much attention.

"Daddy! Daddy, can we buy this?" Inuome cheered, running over with a multi-pack bag of _Cheetos_. Kagoyasha came up on his other side, jeering. "Daddy, let's get some of this!"  
The next instant, another child leapt on to his back, grinning. "Uncle Inu, let's get some flowers!"

"No, no, and Sesshin, ask your dad." Inuyasha frowned. Sesshin's face wrinkled up into a smile, the arm in the cast swinging without her even flinching. It was healed by now anyway – she was a hanyou after all. She just wore the cast for show.  
She tugged on her dad's trouser leg. "Daddy, can we buy Mummy some flowers?" she asked, smiling widely.

Sesshoumaru tried to look stern down at his daughter, but he couldn't say no to her. He sighed and picked her up, holding her on his hip as he walked towards the floristry aisle, his body sagging as Sesshin started singing at the top of her lungs 'Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary'.

"Come on kids," Inuyasha waved, continuing down the aisle. Inuome and Kagoyasha walked along beside him, pointing at the things in the aisle and smiling.  
"Now," Inuyasha steered the trolley around the corner until they were looking down the gifts aisle. He stopped the trolley. "Go and pick something for Mummy," he told them, giving the two gentle pushes forward.

Inuome's face crumpled. "But, Daddy, we don't have any money," she cried. Her brother nodded, the two looking up at their father with sad eyes. Inuyasha covered his face with his hand and sighed. "I know already. Just don't worry about that for now, I'll pay for it,"

Inuome's mouth opened, and then she nodded, grabbing her twin's hand before running off down the aisle. Inuyasha leant against the trolley, frowning. That instant, his niece ran up to the trolley from the left, brandishing some wrapped flowers.

"Goody!" she squealed, giggling. It was scary how much she looked like Sesshoumaru. Her face was slightly pale, her eyes a gleaming amber and an elegant moon sat between her two eyebrows, bringing out the pink stripes on the side of her face. Her long white hair flew down her back as she swung on the trolley, grinning.

"We got my mummy some flowers," she told Inuyasha, waving the roses around triumphantly. Sesshoumaru appeared behind her and easily took them out of her grasp, placing them in the flower holder of the trolley. He waved his finger at her. "Don't wave them around like that, Sesshin, you could make them wilt."

Sesshin looked up at her dad, and then pouted. "'Kay," was all she said. She ran off to where Inuome and Kagoyasha were, and Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha sighed. The three of them really were a handful. How were they going to cope tomorrow?

The two started walking, trying to be as slow as they could be to avoid the screeching voices of their children. "I say tomorrow we cook the girlsdinner – just me and you. We can get Miroku to baby-sit." Inuyasha said, tired.  
Sesshoumaru ran a hand through his hair. "That means cookbooks, ingredients and aprons, right?"

"Minus the aprons," Inuyasha scowled. "But it has to be something the girls like,"  
Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes. "They aren't 'girls' anymore, little brother. And does this mean we'll be cooking for the tajiya?"

"Sango? I don't know. They had a ladies night last year, remember? I just dunno whether Kagome wants to pull that trick again this time round,"  
Sesshoumaru grunted in reply. "What luck," he frowned.

Inuome waved down the bottom of the aisle, trying to catch her dad's attention. She had a goofy grin all over her face. Inuyasha meekly waved back as his daughter suddenly turned and kept looking for a suitable present.  
Sesshoumaru watched the three children, his face a mask. "I never thought…" he began, but he didn't finish. Instead he kept watching his daughter, laughing and giggling like there was no tomorrow.

He bowed his head and looked away. _I never thought I would have a family. I never thought I could love someone as much as I do Rin and Sesshin. _Of course, Sesshin was like the air he breathed. She was his first child, his precious little princess, and no one could take that away from him. She was his golden girl and nothing about her could change in his eyes. She was perfect.

Despite being a half-demon, she still looked like a demon-child. And despite her blood, Sesshoumaru loved her more than he could bear. Every time he looked at her, he saw the child Rin used to be. The child who would always smile and always fill his days with happiness.

All he'd ever hoped for, in one small little girl...

"Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru turned to face his brother, looking slightly worn out. Inuyasha was a couple of paces ahead of him. The half-demon smiled awkwardly, his hands drooping on the bar of the shopping cart. "We really should get some ingredients. Let's just make a simple roast, okay?"

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes. "A _simple_ roast? Since when is a roast with all the trimmings 'simple'?"  
Inuyasha narrowed his eyes in return. "You know what I mean. Let's stick to what we know, okay?"

"I've never cooked before," Sesshoumaru shrugged.  
Inuyasha lookedback, shocked. Slow resignation crossed across his face."...Neither have I,"  
Then the two were just staring at each other without a word, hopelessness and rage boiling up inside of them. "You _idiot_!" they both cried, simultaneously – nearly at each other's throats.

"How the hell are we supposed to 'cook' if you haven't ever been in the kitchen?" Inuyasha screamed.  
"That's rich coming from you! It was _your_ idea! I'm the lord here, remember? I don't need to cook for myself!"  
"Well if you were a _proper_ father you'd have at least been able to make Sesshin dinner!"  
"The same goes for you! You have _twins_, for crying out loud! And you can't even make them a simple–?"

Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru stopped mid-argument. Sesshin, Inuome and Kagoyasha were stood watching them and crying their eyes out, suddenly appearing beneath them. Inuome was wiping her nose in her sleeve, Sesshin's head was tilted heavenward and she was sobbing her little heart out.

"Daddy, why do you and Uncle have to argue all the time?" Kagoyasha whined, wiping his eyes. Inuome sniffed and kept crying, sobbing at the top of her lungs.  
Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha were frozen on the spot, their faces only inches apart. Their eyes were wide as they stared at their children.

The other customers in the shop were turning to look at them, giving them filthy looks. Their looks would have been even more disgusted had Inuome and Inuyasha not been wearing baseball caps.

Sesshin couldn't stop crying. Her face was turning pink. Sesshoumaru felt his control slipping at seeing his beautiful little daughter turn red with tears. He bent down and lifted her up, cradling her. "Shh, it's all right."

"Yeah," Inuyasha continued, bending down to his own kids. "Daddy didn't mean to shout, I'm sorry." He ruffled Kage's hair and then stroked Inuome's cheek with the back of his hand, before pulling the two into a hug. Sesshoumaru buried his face in his daughter's hair, sighing.

He didn't hate Inuyasha anymore, but he couldn't help arguing with him most of the time. It was a bad habit that wouldn't shift. Of course the bad feeling towards him wouldn't disappear over night, but they were making some progress. Considering they had hated each other for around 200 years and then suddenly in three years they were becoming friends, was not too shabby.

Sesshin curled her fingers around her dad's matching hair, sniffing away her tears. She wiped her eyes and rested her head on Sesshoumaru's shoulder.  
Inuyasha looked up at his brother without a word. He couldn't imagine sharing a kitchen with his brother for a whole day, but if it would make Kagome happy…

_She likes it when you don't argue with Uncle Sesshy…_ Kagoyasha had said.  
Inuyasha held onto his children tighter and then straightened, looking down at them with a soft face. Then he just grinned. "Will chocolate make it any better?"

Sesshin jerked backwards to smile at her uncle, coming back to life. "Does that include me?" she asked in a squeaky voice.  
Sesshoumaru smiled down at her. "Of course,"  
Inuome and Kagoyasha and Sesshin giggled. "Yay!" they cheered, punching the air. Sesshin wriggled out of her dad's grasp before dropping to the floor, chasing after her cousins as they ran at top speed towards the confectionary.

Inuyasha simply grinned and continued to push the trolley. "Fancy some chocolate?" he asked Sesshoumaru without turning.  
His elder brother began walking alongside him, a smile on his own face. "I wouldn't mind,"

* * *

Kagome tucked Sesshin into the little airbed on the floor and grinned, brushing her niece's hair out of her golden eyes. "Sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite," she whispered. Sesshin giggled and wriggled under the covers.

Rin stood in the doorway and smiled in the direction of her daughter, waving. Sesshin waved back.  
Inuome and Kagoyasha sat up in bed, clapping their hands. "Bed time story! Bed time story!" they chanted.

Kagome kissed both of them on the forehead and tucked them in as well. "Only a short one," she warned.  
"Yay!" they cried. Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha appeared on the landing behind Rin, their heads poking into the room.

Rin stepped in and pulled up a chair against the wall, next to the one Kagome was about to sit in. Sesshin lay on the airbed in front of them – before her cousins' two beds. She pulled the blankets up to beneath her nose in excitement.

Kagome sat down and brushed her hair out of her eyes. Sesshoumaru watched, a smile on his face, while Inuyasha leant on the doorframe – his eyes firmly locked on where Kagome was sat. She always looked beautiful whenever she was around the children. They brought out a different side of her – a protective, loving side. Not to say that she didn't have a protective, loving side where Inuyasha was concerned.

She seemed different. More radiant – as if a fire was burning inside of her.  
Sesshoumaru glanced at Rin who caught his eye andsmiled warmly. His heart thumped in his chest. Instead of smiling back, he nodded at her and turned down the corridor, stepping down the stairs.

Rin knew not to expect much out of him when others were around. She knew she didn't understand him, but nor did she _want_ to understand him. He was like the wind. She couldn't catch him and hold onto him, but she could be with him forever. It was better that way, she decided.  
She knew he loved her, and that was all that mattered. In a way a nod of the head showed more affection than blowing a kiss goodnight. She couldn't explain why, but to have him change only the slightest bit was enough to make her feel special.

Inuyasha stared at Kagome for another lingering moment before following his elder brother downstairs, his hands in his pockets. He would come up after story-time and give the kids a kiss goodnight. He knew Sesshoumaru would do the same, except more secretly. He hated showing affection around anyone else. Sesshin and Rin brought out his caring side.

When their dads were gone, the kids sat up in bed - Inuome opening her mouth to speak. "Mummy, tell us about how you met Daddy."  
Kagoyasha nodded. "Yeah, Mummy, make a story about that,"  
Rin looked down at her own daughter and saw Sesshin staring up at them with awe-filled eyes.

Kagome grinned and clasped her hands in her lap. "All right... Once upon a time there was a girl named Kagome. She lived in the Sunset Shrine on top of a very tall hill in Tokyo. But one day, on her fifteenth birthday, she was pulled through the Bone Eaters well by a _horrible_ monster,"

Inuome and Sesshin gasped, but Kagoyasha cried 'cool!' Kagome tried to suppress the smile emerging on her face, but couldn't. Rin grimaced and slid off her chair, sitting down beside her daughter to make sure Sesshin's cast was not digging into her in anyway.

Kagome continued. "While she fell through the well, the scary centipede monster licked her face and asked for the legendary Shikon no tama, which she was sure Kagome had. Kagome had no idea what the demon was talking about and cried out – using her hand to cast away the demon with some kind of magic repellent."

Inuome and Kagoyasha's eyes widened. Sesshin pulled the covers down slightly, her amber eyes huge with disbelief.  
"Kagome didn't understand where the magic power had come from. But it got rid of the monster and one of its arms fell off. Then the next instant she was sat at the bottom of the well – all alone except for one limp arm,"

Sesshin let out a cry of shock, but she didn't look too afraid. She was absorbed in the story, clutching onto her mother's arm.  
"Kagome clambered out of the well – only to find she wasn't at home anymore. She was in a beautiful forest, surrounded by trees and wildlife. When she saw the familiar Go Shinboku tree, she ran over to it but found that she couldn't see her house in the distance. When she walked around the tree, she saw a boy asleep against it. He looked _dead_. He had long silver hair and was dressed all in red. His eyes were shut and he looked young – about her age. Kagome was unsure of what to do. He was pinned to the tree by some kind of old arrow,"

"_Daddy_!" Inuome giggled.

"But before Kagome could save the boy, she was dragged to a strange village by many men. She was told the boy was called Inuyasha, and he was not to be freed. She wondered if he was evil…"

And so the story continued until the children had fallen asleep, Sesshin tucked up on the airbed and Inuome and Kagoyasha asleep in their own beds. Rin turned to face Kagome, a smile on her face. "You know, I really should start reading Sesshin to sleep. She always stays up till late and in the end Sesshoumaru has to go upstairs and calm her down. Normally I sing to her and that's enough,"

Kagome waved a hand absently. "Different children like different things," she reassured. "Maybe Sesshin prefers being sang to, tonight was just something different. Come on; let's go watch some television – okay?"

"Yeah," Rin stood up and followed Kagome out of the room, switching off the light and hesitating in the door before looking back into the bedroom. It was decorated with yellow walls, a beige carpet and a teddy-bear border, complete with curtains and lampshade.

Kagoyasha rolled over in his sleep, while Inuome took light breaths. Sesshin's lips were parted, yet she remained silent in her sleep – untouched in her dreams. Satisfied, Rin smiled and shut the door half-way.

"Night kids," she whispered.


End file.
